Several Creswell-Criswell family researchers
have at various times published detailed information about their
family lineage, books, letters, and genealogical newsletters.
Raleigh Criswell has used much of this research material over the
years, and has passed some of this information to me as well as I
have passed some of my findings back to him.

The Henry Creswell family was detailed by the
collective efforts of Reverend John B. Creswell (d.1950), the
Honorable E. E. Creswell (d.1956), and John Olin Creswell all of
Knoxville, Tennessee, who helped in this effort after retiring
from schoolwork (Note: at this time this researcher does not know
what his quoted expression, "schoolwork", means.
Perhaps he was a teacher or a professor). In 1967 John Olin
Creswell published a book (out of print now) entitled, Creswell
History and Genealogy. In this book there is a
significant error: Therein it stated that a John Creswell was the
father of John Yancy Criswill. This is not only an
error in statement, but there is no documentation, research, or
logic that this researcher can find to support this stated
assumption.

It is not currently known how John Olin
Creswell came to this conclusion as expressed in his book. There
is every reason to believe, based on logical deduction and based
on available historical facts, that John Yancy Criswells
father was William Creswell shown on the 1810 Sullivan County,
TN, census. All genealogical researchers need to remember that
specific documentation of ancestral origin is not always
available from early records, so reasonable deduction must
prevail based on clues provided by historical data as it applies
to the foundation of genealogical research. This foundation is
based on using: (1) family given names used in the chronological
sequence of births; (2) dates of known events; (3) where they
were (places) and when (time) suggesting family member
relationships because of their proximity; (4) relationships to
others through organizational or occupational affiliations
(religious and other); and (5) historical events affecting their
geographical movements and behavior.

Many document sources have been ravaged or have
deteriorated over time, and either discarded, misplaced, flooded,
vandalized, or burned. Early document depositories were housed in
wooden buildings. Towns and cities frequently had major fires
early in this countrys history. Firefighting equipment and
availability was almost none to none. In those instances where
documentation is meager or non-existent, one must use all
available avenues to uncover and determine genealogical events by
using the 5 foundations of genealogical research, interpreting
their significance, and using the synergism of these events to
determine logical results. A genealogical researcher can always
expect there will be some essential reference source that is not
available.

Ezra E. Macy of Astoria, Oregon was a
significant contributor to John Olin Creswells publication,
exchanging letters with John Olin Creswell about the Henry
Creswell family. The name William did surface for John Yancy
Creswells father, but the final decision not to use William
as the father was made my the author, John Olin Creswell,
probably based on the assumption that John Yancy Criswell was
named after a father, John. There is no proof of any kind, either
by logical deduction or documentation, that this assumption was
correct. At least three researchers have concluded that the
fathers name was William. Those researchers are David L.
Palik, Raleigh R. Criswell, and a State of Maryland researcher,
Susan Dannreuther. Ezra E. Macy (died - date unknown but sometime
after 25 Nov 1966 which is the date on a copy of his written
letter to John Olin Creswell. I found a copy of this letter in
the DAR library in Washington, D.C. Ezra Macy also was a
significant contributor to George Ely Russells publication
entitled, Creswell-Criswell Genealogical Records of which
I have a copy courtesy of Raleigh Criswell, of Austin, Texas.
Ezra Macy was a descendant of an Evans family who married into
the Henry Creswell Family. Also please note, his ancestors would
have emigrated West over the Oregon Trail, which ended in
Astoria, Oregon.

In the Knoxville (Tennessee) Journal edition
dated August 24th, 1964, it was stated that, "The
first Creswell family reunion in 30 years was held August 23rd,
1964, at Knoxville, Tennessee, with approximately 150 Knox and
Sevier County descendants attending. Following a
picnic lunch, officers were named and plans approved for making
the reunion an annual event. John Olin Creswell was named a
historian of the group." It is not known by this
researcher if these family gatherings still occur. The early
sponsors of these gatherings may no longer be with us.

There is a very extensive genealogical research
records library in Knoxville, which I visited in May 1999. If any
of you happen to go there, dress warmly. It is the coldest (by
air conditioning) building I have ever experienced. I had
scheduled a return trip for June 2001 (this year) but my wife;
Pat (Patricia) has been beset with some ongoing medical problems,
which has caused me to indefinitely postpone my visit until she
improves. It appears these problems are temporary, but one never
knows what is around the next corner, does one?

Raleigh and I wrestled with the identification
of the one missing offspringof Henry
Creswell, always thinking that John Yancy Criswell was somehow
tied into the Henry Creswell family. All of the aforementioned
researchers had identified all the members of his family with the
exception of one, and identifying that missing one just seemed to
always be out of our reach. Both of us were very frustrated with
this issue for a very long time. I had found a William Crisel on
the Culpeper, Virginia, 1783 tax rolls who was only on the tax
rolls for this one year. Not only that, there was never any
Criswell found in that County before or after that date. Question
was, from where did he come? We thought he might have emigrated
from the State of Marilyn clan of Criswells. We could perhaps tie
him in to the Yanceys of Culpeper County, and possibly
marrying a Yancey (or Yancy), but we couldnt tie him into
the Henry Creswell Family. [Note: 1783 is the year Susannah
Criswell was born (October) which suggests that William Criswell
married (John Yanceys daughter) January 1783].

Sometime later Raleigh brought to my attention
that there was a William Criswell on the 1810 Sullivan County,
Tennessee census. He was the right age to have been born in 1761
which was the most likely year that Henry Creswells missing
offspring would have been born, and his wife was the right age to
be a John Yancey Sr and Mary Laytons daughter. In my
researching I have found children born in the 1700s and
1800s almost without exception every two years in the early
years of the marriage, and generally 20-25 years between
generations. Also daughters were almost immediately married as
soon as they turned eighteen. With large families in very small
homes, there was just no room for them to stay with their parents
past this age. But there was still a problem...his name was
spelled Criswell, not Creswell. So we were never quite sure
William was part of Henrys family. There was circumstantial
evidence but no documentary proof.

One of the problems is that courthouse records
in Abingdon, Virginia, were burned during the Civil War. During
my visit in late May 1999 I was told by the librarian at the
Abingdon Courthouse that a number of records had been saved by
putting them on a wagon and transporting them to a hidden
location, and that these records (all handwritten in old script)
has been recently found in the basement of the rebuilt (in
1860s)Courthouse. I was told that they had a transcriber
working on the records for over a year but she didnt know
when the transcription and the publishing of all the found
records would be completed. I guess the records had been there
for a number of years but had been forgotten. I hope her story is
true. I havent yet checked back with the library to see how
things are going, but intend to do so sometime soon, since my
June 2001 visit to the area has had to be canceled.

We became internet enabled just this year (late
January). Previous research provided by Dennis Yancey, of Miami,
Florida, had shown John Yancey Sr had also - as
well as William Crisel - been reported on the Culpeper, VA, Tax
Rolls for 1783, the same year as William Crisel., but noting also
that both were not on the 1782 or the 1784 Tax Rolls. Of further
interest was that John Yancey Sr had sold his Abingdon, Virginia,
Tavern in 1782 (which had been originally licensed in 1780), then
bought another Tavern in Sullivan County, Tennessee, 14 Feb 1784,
(The Amos Eaton Log Stage Stop), leaving a one year absence to be
explained.

For a number of years the Amos Eaton Stage Stop
was a site of important business transactions of prominent men
such as John Sevier and William Blount. Six Justices petitioned
(date unknown) the North Carolina General Assembly that a
Sullivan County Courthouse, prison and stock were to be erected
on the lands of Squire John Yancey Sr.

With both Squire John Yancey Sr and William
Crisel in Culpeper County the same year (1783) as recorded by the
Tax Rolls, and then not there in 1784, I smelled a marriage had
occurred with the strong likelihood that William and Squire John
Yancey Sr had traveled together to Culpeper County, VA, most
likely to introduce William to John Yancey Srs daughter by
his first marriage (Mary Layton had died; John Yancey Srs
2nd wife, Susannah Coleman, had a father and mother living in
Culpeper County - John Yancey Srs daughter appears to have
been left with Susannah Colemens parents or other relatives
when he and Susannah moved to Abingdon, VA). Granted, it is
circumstantial evidence, but the dates all logically fit into
this scenario.

A recent internet inquiry to LDS data base
seems to have validated my research. Another researcher, with
whom I have had no contact, has posted the entire Henry Creswell
family. She reported a William Creswell was born 1761, Augusta
County, Virginia. Birthplace is an (small) error as he would have
been born in Washington County, VA, at Abingdon. Washington
County, VA, was originally a part of Augusta County. Please note
she stated William spelled his surname as Creswell, not Criswill,
but this difference in the surname spelling really has no
significance. As long as she has stated there was a William who
was part of Henrys family, there is not doubt in my mind
that John Yancy Criswell Sr was the grandson of Henry Creswell of
Abingdon, VA, by father William Criswell (Creswell) of Sullivan
County, Tennessee.

The foregoing researchers name is shown
as Susan Dannreuther with address shown as 733 Sligo Ave, Nbr
411, Silver Spring (probably should be Silver Springs),
Maryland, 20910. There is no date given when she posted the
information. The only current telephone listing is for a S.
Dannreuther on Brunswick. I cant tell you if this is the
same person as Susan. Many attempts to reach this S. Dannreuther
have all met with a busy signal using the only listed phone nbr
(301-589-0452) during both daytime and evening hours. Perhaps
there is something wrong with the area code. Further
investigation of the phone number is indicated.